Forum Topic

Music Museum Church

Notice that the church/music museum is all behind a hording - is it to be demolished?   What's happening to that site?

Trudie Fuller ● 4428d46 Comments

I think the music museum moved down the road a while ago.I imagine the church will become a "luxury high rise"

Bob Crongle ● 4428d

The former church building is staying, the developers have started implementing a planning permission from afew years back for conversion of the church and new development at the rear to provide 14 units (all car free bar one disabled space).  Had the permission not be implemented now it would have lapsed.They also currently have an application in with LBH to provide 21 units through additional development of the site - presumably because the numbers don't add up now if they only provide 14 units.

Adam Beamish ● 4428d

Is Sarah Trimmer's old School building involved in the changes too..Adam.

Jim Lawes ● 4428d

To be honest Jim I haven't got round to reviewing the application online so couldn't say at this moment in time.

Adam Beamish ● 4428d

JimSt George's Church 367-368 HIGH STREET BRENTFORD LONDON TW8 0BD     Application type Listed BuildingDate received13/06/2014Details Conversion of former St George's church and Sarah Trimmer Hall (grade II listed building) to 21 residential units, The proposal will involve partial demolition of the church (inc removal of chimney & stack and opening up the external walls) and demolition of the kitchen extension to sarah trimmer hall (Listed Building Consent)WardBrentford

Paul Allen ● 4428d

My Grand Parents were married at St Georges Church on Christmas Day 1919

Paul Allen ● 4428d

I seem to remember the council trying to get St. Georges listed but I think it came down to the frontage and tower being of townscape importance or some description and not worthy of listed status. I am so glad it's going to be kept, whatever the worthies may think I think it's a small part of Brentford's past that is so much better than what has been done along that part of the road.

Vanessa Smith ● 4428d

It is also an important part of the river frontage.  There cannot be many churches like this visible from the river and that is important too.

Sarah Felstead ● 4428d

Photograph of Rev. Henrey, vicar of St. George's for sale on ebay.

Neil Chippendale ● 4428d

Is he the father of Robert Henrey who wrote the curious ?autobiographical book "The King of Brentford". My book, " produced in conformity with the authorised economy standards" is dated 1946.Dustjacket blurb : The vicar, like Alma's King of Brentford, discreet and wise, ruled over a stretch of the Thames peopled with the ghosts of Pope and Walpole, Swift and Gay....

Tim Henderson ● 4427d

I think St. Lawrence's in the High St. is also to be re-developed, another lovely old building, hope they keep some part of it to remind us of the history of Brentford. I'm sure I saw something about removing the graves in an application in the local a few weeks back.

Vanessa Smith ● 4427d

St Lawrence's is a magnificent building. I believe the tower dates back to Norman times (as do many of our important churches and cathedrals).It would be tragic if it could not be kept and worked around - imagination may be required.It is a landmark, hope it survives.

Ian Silver ● 4427d

Hi tim.He was Roberts fathers and was vicar for a number of years. Your book is by Mrs Robert Henrey.. Mad elaine Henrey.

Neil Chippendale ● 4427d

I was a sunday school teacher at St Georges for two years in my teens .Grand old building ,please keep so of the old town ,it was so great in its dayMy great grand parents James And Polly Daubney are buried in St Lawrences church yard .a few years ago when it was being used as a furniture warehouse .I was offerd the chance to buy their head stone .I felt at the time it was not quite regular to do that .whowever if they are going to dispose of the said item, the chance to obtain the aforsaid would be goood Kay

mrs kay day ● 4426d

Thanks for the tip-off Neil about the eBay sale of the Vicar's picture.---------------------------------------------------And Robert's booklet "King of "Brentford" in Tim's library.I wonder what the pictures are about?

Jim Lawes ● 4414d

Wow Kay.... your family is well steeped in Brentford Historyisn't it and I recall your posting on the Forum recently about having a relation in Grovenor Road,,and one of our readers wanting to know about the old style of the garden gates....all long gone.Your link with the Daubney surname raises an eyebrow. I recall being at Chiswick grammar in the early 1950s with a Brentford "Daubney" being in one of the classes.http://www.bhsproject.co.uk/families_daubney.shtmlI recall going into St Georges for a service in the 1950s and seeing the long thin pipes hanging from the ceilings supporting the suspended gas lamps. The hum and smell of the Gas Works and the shadow of the Gas Work buildings gave it all an emotive memory.

Jim Lawes ● 4414d

That's a coincident JIM,All the London side of of my family, on my Mothers side originated from  Grosvenor Road in Brentford, after moving down from BedfordshireAs I said in a earlier post, my Grandparents were married in St Georges Church on Christmas Day 1919

Paul Allen ● 4413d

Looking at the 1938 Kelly Directory Paul I see that there were many Allen's living in Brentord and one, called Leonard, was at 15 Grosvenor Road.  Yes that was a coincidentI recall seeing cracked walls on a visit some years back so it may not be a totally safe structure.There must be more pictures somewhere.

Jim Lawes ● 4413d

Hi Jim My Mothers Maiden name was "Fleckney" you will find them in Governor Road, Netley Road, Pottery Road loinel Road and in the old cottages that were for the sewage works where Clayponds Gardens is located now.

Paul Allen ● 4413d

The practicalities of the new(ish) Musical Museum may be fine (I confess I have never visited it) but the building is IMO pig ugly. Looks more like a self-store warehouse on an industrial estate.

Guy Lambert ● 4413d

Totally agree.  I have to admit to having some small part to play in that as at some stage the application must have come before the panel of Senior Officers for comment.  Indeed I'm sure I remember some discussion about how the coloured 'fins' on the building would be illuminated (not that such measures would have transformed the building) but that never materialised.Saying that there are numerous new or newish buildings which I think are awful design wise.  For example the brand new building on the site of the former Triple Crown PH on Twickenham Road, the new building on the Commerce Road site (total lack of contrast in materials, all light brown coloured bricks and balcony railings which would be more suited to the Sahara, plus absurdly oversized balconies), and finally the hideous flat development at the northern end of North Road off the A315 in Brentford - I walk past that building on a regular basis and it reminds me of a prison, the 'landscaping' is a joke etc.).

Adam Beamish ● 4413d

Guy:  you mean that blue block down below!

Jim Lawes ● 4411d

Pug ugly, unfortunately.

Keith Iddon ● 4411d

I keep wondering about the new block off Commerce Road, I must check to see if it's an 'affordable block', which might go some way to explaining the banality of that block, to me it is so awful and if I lived on the Island development I'd hate looking out on that everyday.

Adam Beamish ● 4411d

Oh dear, just checked the Brentford Lock West website, design is a wholly subjective issue but suffice to say thearchitects and I are on different planets 😯

Adam Beamish ● 4411d

Guy I couldn't agree more.  I really looked at it properly while held in traffic a couple of days ago - it is absolutely hideous that and the ghastly hotel close by are real eyesores!  Whoever a0 designed them and b0 who was the idiot who thought they'd look great in the new Brentford???

Trudie Fuller ● 4410d

Barratts were the developers (not the architects, I can't recall from memory who the architects were) for Holland Gardens, the Travelodge hotel and the new music museum.  Having just had a quick look at the planning history I was being unfair on myself earlier when I suggested I was in some small way part of the decision making process as the applications were approved before I started working at LBH in October 2001.I still think the brand new building on the Commere Road development looks ghastly, but as no-one else has mentioned it I appear to be on my own in that regard ?.

Adam Beamish ● 4409d

Yes. I had a look at the Commerce Road development this evening and I think it looks fine. The other one you mentioned (North Road?) looks like a few substandard Portakabins balanced a bit precariously on top of each other. And that could be a libel on Portakabins.

Guy Lambert ● 4408d

Check out their website. The building is on our doorstep!

Jim Lawes ● 4406d

Assael were the architects for Holland Gardens, along with GWQ and Alpha Laval

John Appleby ● 4404d

Saw an ad in Metro today advertising Bowline House, Brentford Lock West. Prices start at £400,000+++

Elizabeth Price ● 4404d

Plucked from the Internet..and a joy to see: a 1902(?) imageof the interior of Brentford's Riverside Church (St George).I well remember those hanging metal gas lamp holders.  Will they be saved with the current development. Doubt it!

Jim Lawes ● 4378d

does anyone have anymore info on this is it just the church ground or does it include the later  added area as  four children from my family are buried here

Jeannette Smith ● 4376d

Four children from my family of Canal Boatmen are buried @ St Lawrence this was the church used by Canal boatmen. My Grandad was the only Canal Boatman's child ever baptised @ St George the others all being  Thames watermen or Thames Bargemen. My G gran refused to have him baptised @ St Lawrence as after she buried the fourth child there refused to ever enter the church again .Family tales are that she had a hard time to convince the then vicar @ St Georges to baptise a canal child as they came from the other end of Brentford (The Ham's).it appears that after saying it would be his fault the child was not done that he relented

Jeannette Smith ● 4376d

What a great piece of history.  Did the Boatmen have to climb over a wall to get to their boats or was access straightforward back then, do you remember?

Trudie Fuller ● 4375d

You may be like to visit the very excellent Brentford Dock Residents website which has much information about St Lawrence's..to add to your interesting contribution.http://www.brentforddockresidents.co.uk/stlawrenceandcharacters.php

Jim Lawes ● 4372d

So the builders are there..Must get a closer look!

Jim Lawes ● 4372d

The builders are in ..and they've taken some stained glass windows out!

Jim Lawes ● 4372d

I was walking by just at the right time to get a glimpse of what is happening to Brentford's dear old Church. Wonder what the archaeologists will uncover. Shame the interior can't be used for a Community Event before it is fitted out as apartments!

Jim Lawes ● 4372d

One of the builders strayed into the Griffin yesterday and showed us photographs on his phone of the interior of the church and -- the skeletons they have unearthed. The place is awash with them and the building works seem to have now been put on hold whilst the archaeologists investigate the area.

Bernadette Paul ● 4372d

How strange. For what are the archaeologists looking and examining these skeleton? Are they anthropologists also? Is it my imagination, but did I once hear that an American Indian princess once lived in Brentford? One Pocahontas? Perhaps she was buried there. Or have I been drinking too much cooking sherry.

Gerry Tan ● 4372d

Pocahontas lived for a short time in Brentford End. She died on her return to America and is buried in Gravesend.

Neil Chippendale ● 4372d

According to Wikipedia she is buried in Gravesend (thought they don't know quite where) but she did live for a while in the 'suburb' of Brentford with her hubby, John Rolfe.I'm afraid the name Rebecca Rolfe doesn't cut it like Pocahontas!

Guy Lambert ● 4372d

Ihave checked several times over the past few years on the mentioned web sit but still can find no reference to removal of the graves or stones in St Lawrences church yard or the ajoining grave yard

Jeannette Smith ● 2884d

Ihave checked several times over the past few years on the mentioned web sit but still can find no reference to removal of the graves or stones in St Lawrences church yard or the ajoining grave yard

Jeannette Smith ● 2884d

sorry did I not only post this on the wrong church I also appear to have duplicated my post

Jeannette Smith ● 2878d